Almasri, double blow: Italia referred to the International Criminal Court and former chief of staff Bartolozzi facing trial
The Court reported our country to the Assembly of States for non-cooperation. Meanwhile, the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office is requesting the committal for trial of the former chief of staff of Minister Nordio, accused of providing false information to prosecutors
Key points
The Almasri case is hitting Italia again on two fronts, the international and the judicial one. On the one hand there is the International Criminal Court, which has decided to refer Italy to the Assembly of States for non-cooperation. On the other there is the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office, which has formalised the request for the committal for trial of Giusi Bartolozzi, former chief of cabinet of Minister Carlo Nordio, in the same affair.
Deferred to Italia
The referral was made official by the Court itself in a statement confirming what had already emerged on 26 January. The note states that the presidency of the Court has forwarded to the President of the Assembly of States the decision, dated 26 January, in which Italia is reported to have failed to comply with a request for cooperation.
The issue has now come to the attention of the body that brings together the States Parties to the Rome Statute. An Italia representative was invited to attend yesterday's meeting of the Assembly Bureau to discuss the consequences of the decision and explain how Italy intends to ensure cooperation with the Court from now on. At the end of the discussion, the Bureau will present a report on the initiatives taken, with possible recommendations, to the next session of the Assembly.
At the centre of the case is Almasri, who is accused of very serious charges: imprisonment of migrants, outrage against personal dignity, torture, sexual assault, rape, murder and attempted murder. Charges that reportedly fall into the category of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Bartolozzi towards trial
On the Italia side, meanwhile, the affair is intertwined with a new judicial development. The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has requested an indictment for Giusi Bartolozzi, accused of providing false information to prosecutors. Her position arises in the context of the investigation into the Libyan general accused of torture, first arrested in Italia and then repatriated on board an Italian secret service plane.
